Don’t be This Tourist

I for one am super duper excited because this weekend Leslie and I will be going to Orlando to explore the joy and wonder that is Disney World. It was pretty funny when we were on the phone with the friend that we would be staying with down there because one of the first things that she said was, “Don’t dress like a tourist.”

Today, I am going to be writing about those things that people wear, you know them…you can spot them from a mile away, and it just screams TOURIST.

Yes, there are plethora of sites to see and you want to make sure that you catch every single moment of it. However, in this day and age, most people have a phone that actually takes really awesome quality pictures so there is no need for you to have to carry that 10 pound camera around your neck all day. If you have a phone with a bad camera or no camera at all, just carry whatever camera you have in your pocket or a bag!

Yes, you are probably going to be walking around all day and you do not want your feet to hurt. However, you are making my eyes hurt if you walk around with gross socks and big, bulky sneakers or ugly slides. There is no excuse, there are plenty of other types of footwear that are comfortable and sensible without making my eyes form blisters just by looking at them.

If you are fumbling with maps, you are just asking people to make fun of you. Even when I first started college, I made sure to plan out my way around campus before classes even started just to avoid awkwardly standing in the middle of the road looking like a lost, helpless animal. Again, most people have smart phones now, so just pull up a map on your phone. Or, you can try to make new friends and ask someone for directions. If not, you better go mess with your map in a dark corner somewhere so that no one sees you.

This monstrosity is dated, not stylish, and totally unflattering. There is no reason at all that something like this had to be created. It is just…so…ugly. Get yourself a messenger bag, a book bag, a suitcase, hell…I would rather see you lugging around a trash bag before I see you in one of these!

From a little weekend to trip to Disney to backpacking around Europe for the summer…just because you are a tourist does not mean you have to look like one. If you stand out, you want to because you are super stylish, not because you stick out like a sour thumb.